World Leprosy Day

-
World Leprosy Day
By Dr Arvind Kumar
The 30th January - the anniversary of Gandhi assassination, also known as Martyrs’ Day, is also observed as World Leprosy Day in India. Gandhi wanted to eradicate leprosy and he nursed leprosy ulcers in the days when leprosy infected people were treated by the highly caste conscious society as untouchables. Leprosy is an age old disease that still exists. The objective of observing this day is to raise awareness of one of the most stigmatizing diseases known to humanity. World Leprosy Day was initiated by Raoul Follereau in 1954 and is celebrated yearly. The reason for observing World Leprosy Day is to make sure that people everywhere know that the disease still exists, there is a simple and effective cure and we can do something about it.

Observance of this day aims to educate people on all aspects of leprosy, including disease control and elimination, rehabilitation and social problems experienced by leprosy affected persons. Proper care and awareness among the people about leprosy has been instrumental in reducing the number of people afflicted with leprosy considerably over the years. In 1950, the number of leprosy patients was 10.5 million which came down to 5.2 million in 1985 and the next decade saw the number of leprosy patients standing at 0.8 million in 1995. According to official reports received from 115 countries and territories, the global registered prevalence of leprosy at the end of the first quarter of 2013 stood at 189,018 cases, while the number of new cases detected during 2012 was 232,857. MDT treatment has been made available by WHO free of charge to all patients worldwide since 1995, and provides a simple yet highly effective cure for all types of leprosy. This shows that the menace of leprosy has not been eradicated completely. It requires persistent action and vigilance.

#Observance #MDT #Persistent #Vigilance #Eradicated #Reports #LeprosyDay #InfectedPeople #Worldwide 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Avoid Plastic and Save Environment

-
Image
Avoid Plastic and Save Environment Plastic is like a common commodity which is essential in our daily lives. Bakelite, nylon and rubber are some examples of synthetic plastics. Almost everything is made of plastic! They are very convenient to use because of their malleability and plasticity. They can be easily moulded by heating. Plastic product may be non-toxic, but some small amounts of the chemicals remain trapped in the product. As a result, when these plastics come in contact with food stuffs, the chemicals mix with the food which we subsequently consume. Plastics are non-biodegradable solids. When we burnt, they release some toxic fumes which cause ozone depletion and pollution; many chemicals are released into the air as well as into water. All these bear hazardous environmental consequences. Plastics are made of crude oil and can be used as fuel. One litter of hydrocarbon is produced from one kilogram of plastic waste. Over 1 trillion plastic bags are used every year w
Read more

‘Vanguards of Change’: Simple yet Extraordinary thinking

-
Image
By Dr. Arvind Kumar, President, India Water Foundation Congratulations on winning the #Padmaawards for the year 2020. We, at India Water Foundation is elated to hear individual’s diverse and momentous endeavors. The award is a reflection of the endless dedication and sincere efforts towards their work which they truly deserve. Their innovative and out-of-box solutions make them distinguished as true Champions of Change. On the eve of 71st Republic Day 2020, Padma awards were given to citizens of India in recognition of their contribution to the society in spheres such as education, literature, science, medicine, social service, etc. Eminent personalities like George Fernandes, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Kannada spiritual icon Sri Vishveshateertha Swami of Pejavar Matt were chosen for the second-highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan posthumously. We have individuals like Harekala Hajabba, who understood the importance of education in today's time and put in eff
Read more

Dispel Darkness of Ignorance This Diwali

-
Image
Dispel Darkness of Ignorance This Diwali By Dr Arvind Kumar Asato maa sadgamaya Tamaso maa jyotirgamaya M ṛ ityor maa am ṛ itan gamaya Om shaanti shaanti shaanti “From the unreal, lead us to the Real; from darkness, lead us unto Light; from death, lead us to Immortality. Om peace, peace, peace.” Lighting the lamp of true knowledge to dispel darkness of ignorance looming large on our minds is the need of the day. On this festive occasion of Diwali, let’s pray to God: `Tamso Ma Jyotirgamaya’ (Lead me from darkness unto light). Without emphasizing the obvious we may say that it is the inner darkness that needs to be dispelled. When the pall of ignorance envelops the inner self, and the individual loses his sense of direction, his mind becomes numb and he loses his mental equilibrium. He fails to tell what is right and what is wrong. He becomes aimless and rudderless. He is caught in the whirlpool of false beliefs and superstitions leading to observance of meani
Read more